Nimbus
by ImmortalDawn18
Summary: Nimbus was a thief, Aiber and Wedy's heir. But when he and Kira go missing, presumed dead, Mello is the only one willing to look for them, pulling everyone into a strange criminalistic society full of secrets no one saw coming.  LxL, MxM, NxOC. AU.
1. Chapter 1: Meeting Nimbus

Okay, I've never written Death Note before, but I'm gonna give it a shot. Characters will be in-character as much as possible (hint hint, Light's already a little OOC for when he finally does show up), but I digress. The name of the story is based off the main OC, a young thief named Nimbus who basically becomes the other N during his unplanned stay at Whammy's while awaiting contact from his mentors Aiber and Wedy. This is a straight-up yaoi story. THIS MEANS THAT ALL THE PAIRINGS WILL BE GUY-ON-GUY! AND TO COMPOUND MY AWKWARDNESS, THIS STORY WILL END UP IN THE M CATEGORY BEFORE THE END IS REACHED! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Now that that's out of the way, a few quick notes about the story. (1): Nimbus (aka Nomiki Beaumont) is my OC. Use of him is strictly prohibited unless I am bribed with cookies or other forms of sugary goodness (a lemon would also do). His hair and eyes (royal blue and lavender respectively) are also completely natural. (2): Nimbus's glove style is that of the initial Ash gloves from Pokemon. (3): His shirt/glove/shoe combinations will have at least one change per chapter, all centering around one theme. This chapter's is Invader Zim, and as a matter of fact, the shirt and Converses are real; I actually own his Converses. (4): During the story, Nimbus, and everyone else for that matter, speak many languages. The current count is: Russian (bold)- Mello and Nimbus, English (normal)- everyone, Greek- (underline)- Near and Nimbus. Italics are translations, thoughts, and locations. I apologize in advance for any incorrect translations or strange letters, my computer is spaztic. (5): There is a magical school of criminals up somewhere in Siberia, which is where the story begins. Nimbus attends the school and happens to be the heir to both Aiber and Wedy. (6): Final note- Nimbus is not as old as he says he is though he is still older than the other boys, however since he is tall for his age, he gets away with it. His skills mainly work because of his training, flexibility, and comfort with his body. He is, at the moment, taller than Mello, Matt, or Near but not by too much.

I DO NOT OWN DEATH NOTE! If I did, there would be far more yaoi in it, and Light wouldn't have gone crazy. Everyone also would have lived (except Misa, Ryuk, and Rem, but they don't count).

* * *

Part One: The Thin Blue Line

Chapter One: Meeting Nimbus

_Somewhere in Siberia_

Nimbus rolled, the slack in his close-fitting royal purple shirt blowing in the draft of the metal darts shot in his direction, popping up on his feet in a flamboyant flip, the apex of which was consumed by the grab for his target, a gaudy gold pendant, before he hit the ground silently in a run. Without missing a beat, he leapt up on a slender beam, running across it effortlessly even as his hand slipped to his pocket to hide the pendant in the folds of the black cargo pants sitting low on his hips. Avoiding more darts, he cheekily wheeled midair as he leapt from the beam and blew a kiss back behind him before he plunged into the depths of the water, quickly making his way deep enough to avoid any of the missiles shot after him. For all of his dramatic flair, the boy with the long royal blue hair and memorable lavender eyes was by far and away the best and brightest of the thieves being trained at the little hidden school in the depths of snowy Siberia, the best suited to take over for both Aiber and Wedy, the best in the business for whom even L would admit to their prowess by getting them out of lengthy prison terms every time they got caught. No, Wedy mused as she felt over the pendant Aiber had retrieved from the boy and determining it to be a fake only by a slight difference in its weight, Nimbus had learned all he could here. It was time for him to have a real test of his skills.

* * *

_Heathrow Airport, London_

Nimbus stretched, yawning widely as he reached his arms forward while simultaneously arching his back, the fabric of his purple Invader Zim tee moving with him fairly well before he smoothed the GIR image back into place. His unzippered black hoodie, a plain thing from Champion, was more for appearances than anything, for his years living in Siberia had made the chill as he stepped onto English soil no mere than a slight inconvenience and a vague delight. He flexed his fingers in their fingerless gloves, the play of purple Spandex-like material across his palm soothing him, before he wrapped them around the handle of his black rolling suitcase, his purple backpack already hanging off a shoulder, and patiently waited for his ride outside Heathrow Airport.

He didn't have long to wait before an elderly man approached him. "You are young Nomiki Beaumont, I would presume?" the man asked, holding out his hand.

The corner of Nimbus's mouth twitched at the mention of his real name. "I prefer to be called Nimbus," he replied softly, shaking his hand. "You are Watari."

It was not a question, but the man nodded anyway as they walked, getting into a plain black car with elegant beige leather seats pristine enough that had Nimbus cared, he would have been concerned about ruining the upholstery. "Why do you wear those gloves? You came in through Aiber and Wedy's request, which means you must not err on the correct side of the law, but those gloves do not cover your fingertips."

"They don't need to. My prints were burned off years ago. I don't have any, though there are some records of them floating around the system if someone ever bothered enough to look. Because I haven't yet scorched my palms, I wear gloves instead, but that is something I'll have to rectify someday."

Watari shook his head. For a child to be hurting himself so bodily at the age he had been given, only sixteen though he would guess Nimbus was younger based on his appearance, it was unimaginable to the kindhearted man. "How long do you believe you will be staying at the orphanage, Nimbus?"

The boy shrugged, his lavender orbs flashing around the car in a motion Watari knew well from the number of times it had been performed by L, though never as quickly or as thoroughly with such a deeply-ingrained methodicy. "As long as Aiber and Wedy see fit. Personally, I'd prefer if it was as short as possible because the longer I sit around on my ass, the more likely the training drilled into that ass will become less potent. If I have received no action within a month, I will have to resort to more drastic measures to keep my training intact."

Watari smiled. "L had a feeling you would say that. As such, he requested that if you must steal something, steal from either of the Ms, two boys named Mello and Matt, it would do them good to have some paranoia." At Nimbus's raised eyebrow, he added, "In addition to the fact L's still pissed at them for stealing his chocolate cake last time he visited, of course."

The boy agreed good-naturedly, curling up quietly in the seat with his green and purple plaid Converses pulled up onto the main seat and falling asleep balled against the firm surface of his suitcase and backpack rather than the window. Past experiences had taught him falling asleep against anything moveable was a dangerous thing, particularly if it happened to be a door that opened outward with a rather large drop to the floor.

* * *

_Whammy's Orphanage, a few miles outside London_

When Mello yanked open the car door, fully expecting L to tumble out of the car sleepily complaining about the blond having opened the door that was briefly serving as his pillow, neither he nor Matt fully anticipated the blink of lavender eyes and the uttered, "**Yebatʹ OFF, pridurki, ya pytayusʹ otospatʹsya okolo pyati chasov raznitsu vo vremeni zdesʹ**," from somewhere in the mess of very long, very feminine dark blue hair.

"Pardon?" Matt spluttered, looking confused.

"It's Russian," Mello explained huffily, instantly understanding his native tongue after so many years. "He said, 'Fuck off, assholes, I'm trying to sleep off about five hours of jetlag here'."

"**Da, i u menya yestʹ strogiĭ prikaz, chtoby ukrastʹ u vas, yesli vy budete prodolzhatʹ menya razdrazhayut, Mello i ****Matt****, tak chto yesli vy ne vozrazhaete, poĭti naĭti nekotorye drugie bednye suka delatʹ uzhasnye veshchi**."

"'Yes, and I have strict orders to steal from you if you continue to annoy me, Mello and Matt, so if you don't mind, go find some other poor bitch to do horrible things to,'" Mello translated. "Bastard."

"**Nimbus, ****na samom dele.**"

"So, where ya from, Nimbus?" Mello drawled, not bothering to translate this time.

"Siberia, and before that Greece. Now, unless you would like me to show you what I have learned in the far north, I suggest you leave," the older boy ground out, closing his eyes once more. Shrugging, Mello sauntered off, perfectly willing to abide by such a plain request from a fellow Russian.

Shyly, the albino boy of the orphanage approached the car, standing by the open door politely and twirling a strand of snow-white hair. "Geia sas, Nimbus. To ónomá mou eínai kontá. Roger léei óti eímai néos synkátoikó sas. Epitrépste mou na sas voi̱thí̱sei me ta prágmata sas? Ypóschomai óti an érthei sto do̱mátió mas, den tha sas enochlí̱sei enó̱ xekourázeste." _Hello, Nimbus. My name is Near. Roger says that I am your new roommate. Might I help you with your things? I promise that if you come to our room, I shall not disturb you while you rest._

Nimbus gave him a tired smile. "Af̱tó akoúgetai ypérochi̱," he replied, stretching the kinks from his shoulders as he got to his feet and shouldered his pack once more. _That sounds marvelous._ "Kai ektós af̱toú, boreíte na mou ti̱lefo̱ní̱sei Nomiki̱ ótan eímaste mónoi." _And besides, you may call me Nomiki when we are alone._ Only in Greek could that phrase quite manage to sound so sexily erotic to young Nimbus.

* * *

_A few days later- Whammy's Orphanage, London_

In their room, Nimbus spent hours contorting his body in various positions and holding them, to increase his flexibility or at least maintain it, running through the mini course he'd created, to continue honing his muscle memory and fitness levels, and practicing various tricks, to keep his fingers nimble. He did not disturb anything on Near's side of the room nor Near himself. Funnily enough, Mello seemed fond of his new challenge to catch Nimbus unaware, but the blond ended up on the ground before he could lay finger on the older boy every time. He programmed his own cheat codes to kill Matt on Halo, something L was hard-pressed to match, yet he made no move to even attempt a competition with Near. To Mello and Matt, he was evil incarnate, but to Near, he was the most complex puzzle he'd ever encountered.

One of the few times Nimbus wasn't practicing or sleeping lightly enough that a change in his surroundings instantly caused wakefulness, Near came out of their shared bathroom to see the blue-haired male lying on his back on his bed while tossing and catching gaudy gold pendant, one hand playing a silver coin through the fingers at the same time. "How can you do all that?" he asked. "How do you keep track of all the actions in your mind?"

"Training. This is actually several difficulties below what I'm capable of," Nimbus replied without a hesitation in his movements. He always seemed so certain, so deliberate with his actions, never fidgeting or shifting so much as an ounce of his 118 pound weight without reason. The only person Near had ever met with so much self-control was Wedy, but she'd never taken it to this kind of extreme. "M 'arései ótan prospatheíte na me katalávo̱, Kontá," he murmured softly, sitting up with his abrupt shift into Greek. _I love it when you try to figure me out, Near. _"Tha sas kánei na faínontai tóso charito̱méno, allá boró̱ na sas diavevaió̱so̱ óti den eímai énas grífos pou boreíte na lýsei tóso éf̱kola." _It makes you look so cute, but I can assure you that I am not a puzzle you can solve so easily._

* * *

... Reviews will make me happy! In fact, reviews, favorites, and alerts are what pays for all the airfare to and from Russia, so unless you want Nimbus to sit around and look pretty on his own, PRESS THAT BUTTON RIGHT DOWN THERE!

Another character will come into play next chapter, along with some decent plot, and Nimbus's abilities will be revealed in much more detail. Also, I will stop ranting at you in a straight block and revert to having the characters help me with these. I don't know. I'll figure it out later. Oh yes, and before I forget, anyone who wants to fix my Google translations and/or beta for me, please drop me a line! I don't want to be putting things that aren't right in my fic...

~ImmortalDawn18


	2. Chapter 2: A Killer and a God's Shroud

Is it really all too hard to press that button down there to leave a minute's worth of your time? Even a favorite makes me feel better about writing this!

Near: Obviously it is too hard for them. Perhaps you should try financing Kira and Nimbus's exploits with means other than favorites, alerts, and reviews.

L: *pouts* But I travel too...

Light: Not yet you don't. Now go back to whatever you were doing.

L: M'kay. *wanders off*

Mello: *walks in munching chocolate* Odd.

Matt: *follows playing game* Very much so.

Nimbus: GET OUTTA HERE, YOU SPAZZES, YOU AREN'T IMPORTANT FOR ANOTHER FEW CHAPTERS!

*Mello and Matt suddenly disappear*

Near: *sidles away with wide eyes*

Light: *sing-song voice* Awkward!

Nimbus: AND NOW FOR THE OFFICIAL NOTES!

* * *

Nimbus's glove/shirt/shoe theme this chapter is FullMetal Alchemist (the gloves and shirt) while his shoes are a pair of black leather riding boots with an inch heel on them (I do own the boots, but none of the rest of the clothing is real).

Language count: Russian (bold)- Mello, Light/Kira, and Nimbus, English (normal)- everyone, Greek- (underline)- Near and Nimbus, Japanese (bold and underline)- Nimbus and Light/Kira. Italics are translations, thoughts, and locations.

Notes on my Light: He is called Kira. He is actually about a year older than Mello (more or less) and a year younger than Nimbus (again, give or take several months since Nimbus's age is not on record, though his appearance suggests slightly older than Kira; his given "age" is a year or two above Kira's). He was also trained at the Siberian school, though in a different skill set than Nimbus. He appears to have escaped with someone named Teru (ringing any bells for people?) and two individuals known only as "the girls", both of whom Nimbus seems to be familiar with as well. Kira and Nimbus are about the same height, Kira maybe a few inches taller.

I DO NOT OWN DEATH NOTE! If I did, there would be far more yaoi in it, and Near would have spelled his name NER when he was 5. He also would have had a sheep stuffed animal he would cuddle with at night.

* * *

Part One: The Thin Blue Line

Chapter Two: A Killer and a God's Shroud

_Whammy's Orphanage, a few miles outside London_

A week into his stay, Nimbus began getting restless. He was quicker to put Mello down (yelling at the blond in all kinds of Russian all the while), began sneaking out at night (somehow managing to climb out of the third-story bedroom window without occurring injury or notice), and would wander the streets (bringing back some kind of trinket for Near every time). Then came the final straw; Nimbus was called into Roger's office for reasons that made the man absolutely livid. Nimbus had, Matt told them, snuck into the High Museum of London on one of his nightly jaunts and swapped around numerous exhibits without alerting security. L, Wedy, and Aiber were impressed.

The authorities, however, were not. Apparently, for none of the trio saw the teen for the remainder of the day, Nimbus was unrepentive. He would not steal anything, money had never been a concern when he could go through so many less troublesome methods than the black market, but he would not refrain from entering high-risk buildings after hours. Screw the law, he had no need for its technicalities. So long as he took nothing, he felt that he could do as he wished with the law more or less on his side. Then, his speech said and feelings known, he cheekily rattled off a list of artifacts that his quick appraisals found to be fakes before sauntering off, bored with the entire conversation. Had he wanted to be caught, he would have hung around at the museum. Had he wanted to steal, he would have taken something. Was it really so difficult to understand his motives?

* * *

_Within a few days- Whammy's, London_

At the sound of two clicks, Near looked up from his puzzle to see Nimbus had pushed himself into a one-handed handstand with his black leather riding boots resting against the bedpost, the source of the sound. Blinking, Near got to his feet and walked over to the older boy, wondering what was racing through his mind. Lavender eyes flickered open to regard his crouching form, focusing on the pajamaed calf before him rather than the concerned gray eyes above him. "My personal motto has always been 'If you cannot solve a problem, you merely need a different perspective to determine a solution'. Ironically enough, I've never had a problem where I've had to do so before now." His eyes slid closed as he whispered, "**U menya yestʹ drugoĭ tochki zreniya, no pochemu otvet do sih por kazhet·sya, tak daleko? Vy izmenili menya, Ryadom**_." I have the different perspective, but why does the answer still seem so far away? You have changed me, Near._

* * *

_The next day- Whammy's, London_

Nimbus was doing a handstand against the brick wall of a small tool shed, Mello sitting beside him blandly conversing in Russian, when he saw the new arrival. Upon catching sight of the slightly-younger male newcomer, he instantly pushed off the brick onto his feet and strode over to him. "**Anata wa nani o, koko de Kira o yatte iru? Watashi wa Nippon de to omotte ita**." _What are you doing here, Kira? I thought you were in Japan._

"**Sore ga okoru yō ni, jibun jishin o shita nochi no on'nanoko wa, mamonaku, shibaraku mae ni nokoshimashita. Teru ni shukuhaku sa retaga, karera wa watashi-tachi ni oitsuita mae ni wa nagai sa remasendeshita. Kare wa dasshutsu shiyou to suru no acedometaphines no fukuyō ga, karera wa kare no i ga kare o hozon suru toki ni ponpuda."**_ The girls left a while ago, shortly after you did yourself as it happens. Teru stayed, but it wasn't long before they caught up with us. He overdosed on acedometaphines in an attempt to escape, but they got his stomach pumped in time to save him._

"**Anata no ryōhō ni go shūshō-sama."** _My condolences to the both of you. _He paused, swallowing hard but masking it by playing with the silver coin once more, the metal seeming all the more precious with the sunlight and his black fingerless gloves with a red Ouroboros on the backs of them, which perfectly matched the red tee with a black flamel on the back. "**Anata wa, karera ga koko o sōshin suru riyū o shitte imasu ka?"** _Do you know why they send you here?_

A wry smile graced his lips. **"Saikō no ansatsu-sha to sekkin-sen de saikō no dorobō o oku? Mazu dai ichi ni, karera wa, sagatte ikutsu ka no shinkokuna tawagoto o kitai shite iru yori jūyōna no wa, messējidesu. Kira wa, kirā, Nimbus,-shin kyaria, issho ni onaji kontekisuto de shōchō-teki ni yoi monode wa arimasen."**_Putting the best assassin and the best thief in close quarters? First off, they are anticipating some serious shit going down, but more importantly, it's a message. Kira, the killer, and Nimbus, the god carrier, together in the same context is not symbolically a good thing._

"**Watashi wa dōi suru mono to shimasu. Anata wa on'nanoko to Teru ga doko ni aru ka shitte imasu ka?"** _I agree. Do you know where the girls and Teru are?_

"**On'nanoko? Wa sukoshi mo inchi Teru? Watashi wa shinakatta omoimasu."** _The girls? Not in the slightest. Teru? I wish I didn't._

"**Warui koto? Karera wa totemo kibishiku kakato ni watashi-tachi o sodatete iru baai, wareware wa, kanari kuso daiji ni suru hitsuyō ga arimasu."** _That bad? We must be in some pretty fucking serious shit if they're bringing us to heel so harshly._

"**Īe fakku, tensai."** _No fuck, genius._

"**Daijōbu, sukoshi no ma, tei rei? Watashi wa senryaku o haaku suru tame ni ikutsu ka no jikan o hitsuyō to suru tsumorida. Ga arimasu... Gappeishō ga kan'yo suru."** _Lay low for a little while, okay? I'm gonna need some time to figure out a strategy. There are... complications involved._

"**Wareware wa, basho, Nome no keikaku o shutoku suru tame ni ichi-shūkan o motte imasu. Sore wa tadashii monoda to kakushin shite kudasai."** _We have a week to get a plan in place, Nome. Be sure it's the right one._

Kira moved to walk away, but Nimbus stopped him with a booted inch heel against his brown leather shoe. **"Watashi-tachi ga iu koko ni wa nani mo anzendesu. Amarini mo ōku no gengo ga dokuji no, eigo igai no shitte iru. Watashi wa jibun no bokoku-go o hanasuto puraibashī no yuiitsu no uwabe dake wa anata no bokoku-go ni atae rareruga bokoku-godearu wareware wa, 1tsu saiyō shite ichi, tomodachi to gozen izure ka no sonzai kara."** _Nothing we say is safe here. Too many know languages other than their own and English. Since I reside with one who speaks my native tongue and am friends with one whose native tongue is our adopted one, the only semblance of privacy is afforded to your native tongue._

* * *

_By the end of the week- Whammy's, London_

Nimbus and Kira were fighting again, the blue-haired male surprisingly mobile in his heels and the elegant brunette a better fighter than his appearance suggested. Since the pair were almost always going at it without harming each other despite the mix of Greek, English, and Russian in the air, no one bothered to separate them. Nimbus's style was based on his agility and flexibility and Kira's on his dexterity and unpredictability anyway, so neither were particularly equipped for a prolonged encounter, their sparring actually taking place in a series of abbreviated sessions interspersed with pauses for distance and regrouping. In fact, had it not been for the small amount of accumulating bruises and the liberal cursing, one would almost believe the pair to be lovers dancing on each other's arm.

* * *

_Later that same day- Whammy's, London_

Kira sat on his bed, his door locked as he spread first-aid crème on the coloring spots on Nimbus's ribcage, the elder male growling out nonstop streams of Greek-spattered Russian under his breath. The younger couldn't understand the Greek, it was too fast for proper computation however he had a feeling that was the point, but he certainly could the Russian. "Near could be doing this for you, you know."

"He already has," Nimbus replied, making a face as Kira attended to one of the more sensitive spots. "I came here because I want you to look at my right ankle."

Kira shook his head, abandoning the crème on the bedside table in order to pull the affected foot into his lap. "What did you do to it?"

"I… put a splint on it, but it still hurts like fuck to walk."

Chocolate eyes glared at him. "That wasn't what I meant, Nome."

Nimbus smirked as cool fingers probed the gauze, unwrapping the injury. "I know." Both males started guiltily at the banging on the door, the wood jolting massively.

"Kira!" Mello's voice yelled, "Why is your door locked?" Nimbus and Kira flinched at the two successive bangs, sharing a glance. "And why can't I kick it down?" Nimbus sighed and got off the bed, his jaw clenching tightly in pain as his unsupported right ankle took his weight but jumped through the window nonetheless, somehow disappearing from sight in the time it took Kira to kick the window screen under his bed and throw his polo shirt in the general direction of the desk chair. Composing himself, Nimbus was a professional who would not allow himself to be discovered so easily, Kira opened the door to the impatient blond. "It's about time," he growled, stomping past the brunette, "What took you so long?"

"I was masturbating. Excuse me for presuming others would not wish to walk in on such a spectacle."

Ice blue eyes narrowed as Mello's weight shifted to his right foot in preparation for a lunge. He sighed mentally when he noticed the unconscious movement, bypassing his usual training-enforced instinct to respond hastily in order to appear normal. He allowed the blond to pin him against the wall, even wincing for effect as his head hit the wall. "Stay away from Nimbus, pretty boy. I've seen his bruises and the way both of you fight. He's mine to challenge. _Mine_, you got that?" Without waiting for an answer, Mello stomped off, slamming the door behind him.

Nimbus breathed a sigh of relief then, turning himself around so that he went from clinging to the outside edge of Kira's window by the tips of three fingers to grasping the windowsill with his whole hand. He wedged his left leg against the side of the building, not sparing a glance down but grateful he had a good head for heights, so that he could release his right hand in order to bring his bad leg up and hook the knee over the sill. Repeating the maneuver for his left leg, he then pulled his torso up so that he was first sitting on the windowsill, followed by dropping to the floor and shimmying his torso back through the window and into the room. "Holy shit," he gasped as his leg finally gave out from the sudden weight, Kira diving to catch him before he fell.

"You are," the brunette panted, dropping the elder onto the bed and rewrapping the bindings tighter than they were before when they'd been done one-handed, "absolutely impossible."

Nimbus grinned as he walked over to the doorway, the slight limp in his step only being noticed by the very observant Kira, who was trained in spotting such things. "Would you rather have me any other way?" he replied cheekily, sweeping Kira a sarcastic bow before strutting from the room. Never before on such a vital test had divine intervention ever performed this kind of miracle, but who was he to question a perfectly genius stroke of an insightfully masterminded scheme?

* * *

Okay, people, this is your redeeming chapter for reviews/favs/alerts! I would like to say that I'd withold chaps if I don't get that stuff, but I'm not that mean.

Mello: I am.

QUIET YOU! *hits him over head with frying pan*

Matt: MELLO! *runs over to his prone body and begins crying*

Anyway, like I was saying, the more stuff like that I get, the quicker I'll get L actually involved in this mess!

L: *eyes go huge* You weren't going to involve me? *runs off crying*

Light: HOW COULD YOU? *runs after L*

... I have a lot of mistakes to fix, don't I?

Near: Oh most definately.

Where's Nimbus?

Near: Out.

*sigh* NEXT UPDATE'S ON WEN-NESDAY! Until then, my readers, don't touch random sky notebooks, beware the loaded knives, make sure to give Ryuk an apple, play Pokemon Black/White because I wanna see Matt get his butt handed to him at some point, don't hit sheepies 'cuz they're adorable, and when eating chocolate, make sure your doors and windows are firmly locked (it also wouldn't hurt to eat it in the closet just to be safe)!


	3. Chapter 3: Matt's Introduction to Crime

I would like to say, given that I finally have some reviews, that this chapter involves major yaoi... but then I'd be lying.

Mello: Do it anyway. Lying's always fun.

*glares at him* Lying does not help people.

Light: Yes it does.

Nimbus: SHOW OF HANDS ON WHO THINKS LYING HELPS PEOPLE!

*Nimbus, Light, L, Near, Mello, and Matt all put their hands up*

*puts head in hands* Why oh why do I write with such chronic liars?

Matt: Because you love us and you want nothing more than to have us hanging around in your life?

Mello: To give me chocolate?

Near: Because it's the greatest thing of all?

Nimbus: Because I'm sexy and morales are for losers!

Light: BECAUSE I WILL RULE THE WORLD! *glares at Nimbus at his declaration of morales*

L: ... Because none of these bozos got the right ending to their stories, including me, and you wanted to change that?

... I'm going with the panda on this one!

L: *does brief victory dance in mind* Now, please stand by for our brief required messages before the story, and its bonus feature, are revealed.

* * *

Nimbus's glove/shirt/shoe theme this chapter is Bones (the shirt being the blue of the labcoats and DaVinchi's Man, which is the Jeffersonian logo in the show). His hair, up in a pontail, takes after Dr. Brennan, while his black gloves refrence the FBI (the skulls are the actual refrence to the show). His black boots are actually not involved in the theme this time, but they do serve a purpose; Nimbus wears heels when he feels safe in his surroundings (the heels clack loudly enough on the floor that he never has the element of surprise, something that has been drilled into him never to give up, especially when he's in danger). The first chapter he had none (unknown cirmcumstances), second he did (he trusts Near and Kira), and now he loses them again (conspiracies kinda make life unsafe, wouldn't you agree?).

Language count: Russian (bold)- Mello, Light/Kira, and Nimbus, English (normal)- everyone, Greek- (underline)- Near and Nimbus, Japanese (bold and underline)- Nimbus and Light/Kira. Italics are translations, thoughts, and locations. The reason I include the original phonetics of the languages in addition to the translations is so that you, as the reader, can see the scene through the eyes of both our less-educated characters (Matt and those who don't understand the language) and the more educated (Nimbus, Kira/Light, and L when he finally shows up).

I DO NOT OWN DEATH NOTE! If I did, there would be far more yaoi in it, and Matt would have made more appearances than what he got (I do believe it was 52 panels and 36 speaking parts; yes I am enough of a geek to try counting after a science test last year), and he and Mello would have officially been lovers (and they BOTH would have worn leather... and vinyl... and Mattie would've had a riding crop as an accessory... *faints with nosebleed*)

Other disclaimers: I do not own Pokemon (Sapphire or otherwise), Bones, FullMetal Alchemist, Invader Zim, the His Dark Materials Trilogy (Golden Compass, Subtle Knife, Amber Spyglass), Heist Society, 'The Most Dangerous Game', Fahrenheit 451, or the Notting Hill Corona theater (Yes, it's a real place, but I've never been, despite my numerous trips to London... some of which may or may not have been spent getting in touch with my inner detective).

* * *

Part One: The Thin Blue Line

Chapter Three: Matt's Introduction to Crime (+ Deleted Scene: Compass of Directing Love... Or Not)

_Whammy's Orphanage, a few miles outside London_

Matt's expectations included a great many things when he was awakened by a persistent knocking at his window. Needless to say, Nimbus perched on the outside of the frame with his hair up in a low ponytail and wearing a close-fitting blue half-neck and looking as if he rather hoped Matt would open the window soon certainly was not one of them. Glad Mello had attended an all-night study session with some of the older children, he eased open the window though he did not pull the screen in when a single black riding boot, this one without a heel, gently popped the window screen from its frame. "What are you doing here?"

Nimbus sighed. He'd rather hoped they could have had this conversation when he wasn't dangling for his life. "I need your help, Matt."

The redhead snorted. "Why don't you ask Mello or Near for help? I'm sure they'd both jump through hoops for you. Or why not Kira?" At seeing how Nimbus's body tensed at his last statement, he added, "I've seen the way you two interact, and it doesn't fit with you two being enemies. Maybe you were once, but there's a lot more closeness there than rivalry, even if it were closer to the Mello-Near rivalry than it is to most others. Besides, I doubt that Kira would have left so many bruises on you."

"Kira can't help me, Matt. No one else can."

Sighing, the gamer pulled the checkered screen into his room and let the blue-haired boy slide in through the now-open window. "You have thirty seconds to convince me this isn't a bad idea."

Nimbus sighed, playing with the edge of one black glove, the back of both gloves revealing a skull so accurately portrayed in the fabric that it seemed decidedly macabre. "Kira and I aren't who we seem to be. I can't tell you a whole lot about us or who we pissed off, but we did manage to piss off some higher-ups who you really _really_ REALLY do not want to fuck with. Kira's been running for the past—actually, I have no clue exactly how long he's been running, but when he was caught, they sent him here, no doubt as a message. Mello and Near mean a lot to me, just as much as Kira if not more than, so I want to keep them safe, which means I need to go back to what I do best."

"Which is?"

Nimbus's lavender eyes hardened as his body shifted imperceptivity into a defensive position. "Do you remember the string of museum thefts a few years back, the ones that stopped suddenly and even L couldn't discover the culprit?" Matt nodded, cocking his head curiously. What did a bunch of petty museum thefts have to do with Nimbus? The boy might have been exceptionally good at breaking into places he shouldn't, but he'd never expressed the slightest inclination towards actual theft, never mind that extrapolating the dates would have meant that he'd been too young at the time.

"Is the thief involved in this?"

A wry half-smile twitched at the corners of Nimbus's lips. "You could say that."

"Who is he then?"

"You're looking at him, Matt."

The gamer gaped. "That's impossible!" he yelped, shocked.

"Hardly."

"You had to be eleven when that all went down!"

"Eight, actually, but that's beside the point. The truth is, Matt, I need to clean up after my mistakes, and the only one who can help me do it without killing themselves in the process is you." He took a breath, struggling to keep himself composed as the images floated through his mind of his friend's fates if they intervened. "Near can't handle my world, and Mello would only end up dead. Please, I need someone who I can trust to not want to stay in my world but watch my back for me when I go take care of business."

Matt sighed. "And that entails what exactly?"

"For the moment, covering for me during the day, maybe buying some things for me that I can't have traced back. I can't promise anything for the future, but I'll try to keep it reasonable. I might need to call you to establish that I have a powerful ally outside of thier influence, but I'll need to do some rewiring first. Of course, doing this for me means that I'll be willing to grant favors, provided that the favor is within my power, that is." How the prideful Nimbus could say that last sentence whilst looking disdainfully at his nails, Matt would never know, yet it reassured him to know the older boy settled his debts. It was perhaps the most honorable thing Matt had seen him do.

"Nimbus, can I ask you an honest question?" the redhead murmured, glad his eyes were hidden by his orange goggles. If eyes were the windows to the soul, then he was determined that these windows would be the first Nimbus could not bypass with such ease.

The blue-haired boy smiled reassuringly. "You just did, but continue anyway."

"What are your feelings for Mello?"

The smile disappeared faster than a weasel down a rabbit hole. "He's likable, a bully but likable. He's not really my type as far as dating goes, but he's definitely someone I'd want to have at my side when my back's against the wall," he answered slowly, putting thought into the matter. Knowledgeably observing Matt's reactionary sigh and slight release of tension, he added, "I'd be more than happy to try my hand at playing matchmaker for you tow, if you'd like."

Matt raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "How did you know I liked Mello? For all you knew, I could have been asking as a friend seeing as he's always trying to do horrible things to you."

Nimbus laughed as he leapt up onto the windowsill. "Years of practice on reading people, my friend. Can't rob a building if you don't know which guards are too cocky to notice a theft right away and which are more likely to pay attention to the monitors on those damn closed-circuit cameras."

* * *

_A few days later- Whammy's Orphanage, London_

For once, Nimbus did not tense when Near began tracing patterns on his back, in this case, the lines of DaVinchi's Man that was on the blue shirt. In fact, he didn't even close the book he was reading, _Heist Society_. "I hope you are not getting ideas, Nomiki," he whispered.

"**Yesli by vy tolʹko znali .**" _If only you knew_. Turning his head, he quirked the corner of his mouth up in a smile. "Of course not. Mello recommended it to me is all. It's not a bad read either."

"I don't read a lot of fiction, only what we went over in Literature." His fingers faltered for a moment, such a slight and brief movement the elder caught only with his training. "I was quite fond of 'The Most Dangerous Game' and _Fahrenheit 451_."

"I prefer sci-fi/fantasy myself. Genetic manipulation fascinates me, though I will read a good thievery book if it doesn't get too outrageous on the details." Perking up as Matt wandered in, he said, "**Vot derʹmo**, (_Oh shit_) Matt, could you take that Barnes and Noble bag in my room to Mello? It has a copy of _The Golden Compass_ in it, and I want him to read it before I take us to see the movie. You've read it before now as well, right?" The gamer shook his head. "No? **Svyatoĭ yebut , ty ubivaeshʹ menya , Matt.** (_You're killing me, Matt_) In that case, you can have the bag and Mello can borrow the _His Dark Materials Trilogy_ in my bookcase."

"Póte skopév̱ete na dei ti̱n tainía?" Near asked softly, moving on to playing with Nimbus's ponytail now, flipping it back and forth in his fingers. _When are you planning on seeing the movie?_

"Den eímai . Na eísai se thési̱ na emetós spláchna mou éxo̱ sti̱n entolí̱ eínai mia eidikóti̱ta mou kai polý chrí̱simi̱ gia ta schédia mou gia na párete ta dýo mazí. As elpísoume óti o Mat tha eínai se thési̱ na stamatí̱sei Mello apó ti̱n prospátheia na féroun - ti̱n antimetó̱pisi̱ mou káthe forá pou me vlépei . Eímai to eídos tou na párei varetheí ríchnontas ton sto páto̱ma kápou metaxý eptá kai dekaeptá forés ti̱n i̱méra." _I'm not. Being able to puke my guts out on command is a specialty of mine and quite useful in my plans to get the two together. Hopefully Matt will be able to stop Mello from trying to flying-tackle me every time he sees me. I'm kind of getting fed up of throwing him to the floor somewhere between seven and seventeen times a day._

* * *

_A week later_- _Whammy's Orphanage, London_

As it turned out, Nimbus didn't need to trigger his gag reflex to get out of the movie. He sat in the library twirling a single silver coin over the table as Roger yelled at him for doing something as stupid as trying to pick Kira's door lock. This coin was different than his usual coin, blockier and less shiny, but Roger didn't notice because whenever he'd look down towards the table, the black glove would shoot out, hiding the coin beneath a white skull. Making a face, he slid the coin into his pocket, metal clinking on metal, and instead began playing with a pencil when he caught sight of a somewhat distraught Near wandering past. Ignoring Roger's protests, he let out a piercing whistle from somewhere between his front teeth to get the younger's attention, the white-haired boy content to simply perch on the small bit of chair Nimbus wasn't using and begin stacking the various bookmarks much like he would cards. Noticing that the elder boy was more interested in watching Near out of the corner of a single lavender eye than in twirling his pencil, which held more appeal than Roger and his lecture did, the man threw his hands in the air and gave up, stomping off to go complain to Watari about his latest and most troublesome headache, who happened to have absolutely no respect of authority.

Nimbus turned his head slightly as he smiled, pleased with how no one had noticed the "**Kumo wa, Kira**** o ugokashite iru!**" (_Clouds are moving, Kira!_) actually wasn't an insult but code for his return to what he did best. Wincing at the pain in the left side of his face, he snatched the paper-towel-wrapped bag of ice from the table, slapping it on his closed eye and leaning his head back. Loathe as he was to admit it, he did have to conclude that having Kira "slam" a door onto his black eye certainly had not served to make it feel any better.

* * *

Deleted Scene- Compass of Directing Love… Or Not

_The same day as Nimbus's lecture- Whammy's Orphanage, London_

"Nimbus, you asshole!" Mello yelled, throwing a hissy fit but somehow restraining himself from reverting back to his native language, "you promised to take me to see _The Golden Compass_!"

The blue-haired male winced, shrinking back slightly into Near's embrace. He normally would not trust someone so completely with his body, but for some reason, Near defied his usual rules about personal space, and besides, he was quite good at keeping the ice pack on Nimbus's black eye while keeping him occupied enough for his tastes, not to mention that he made a very comfortable chair. "Yes, but that was before I got a black eye bad enough to make me hide out in here to the next few days."

"I'm gonna fucking murder that pretty boy," Mello grumbled, no doubt thinking thoughts about Kira that involved horrible horrible things being done to him.

"Mello should know that Nimbus was not injured maliciously on Kira's part. He did not know that Nimbus was standing on the other side of the door with a few pieces of wire stuck in the knob when he opened it," Near murmured softly, petting his ponytailed hair affectionately. "Besides, are there not plenty of individuals who Mello could see the movie with instead? Linda would not mind spending time with you, but if you would like someone who has read the series, I do believe Matt finished the book that Nimbus lent the pair of you."

* * *

_Later that day- Notting Hill Coronet, 103 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3LB, United Kingdom_

Matt clung to the back of Mello's blood-red jacket as he played his Pokemon Sapphire, trusting in the blond not to run him into any hapless individuals who also happened to be in the ticket counter line. Nimbus may have advised him to pay attention to Mello since the chocoholic obviously had quite a large ego and enjoyed it being stroked, but he knew that a sudden move could spook Mello off. The same way he caught his Rayquaza was going to be how he wooed Mello—carefully, slowly, and with every intention of running for his life should the "battle" turn for the worst. "Matt," Mello sighed, "what would you like with the movie?"

He paused for a moment, cocking his head even though his fingers did not stop moving on the buttons. "I'll just mooch off whatever you get," he replied, concentrating on the Elite Four's Walrein and hoping his level 51 Azumaril could kill the damn thing in one hit with Strength, otherwise he was gonna actually lose since it was all he brought other than a team of eggs. It wasn't his fault he decided to level them all up illicitly with a EXP card, after all.

"Matt, could you please pay attention to me for once rather than playing on that stupid game?" Mello asked.

Matt bit his lip, thinking. He really hadn't saved in a while, but from Mello's tone of voice, this was not a request you refused if you wanted to curry favor, something Matt had been doing for a very long time. Biting back a sigh, he flicked the switch on the Gameboy and tucked it into his pocket. "What do you want, Mells?" he asked, pulling his goggles down around his neck. He knew that look on Mello's face all too well; it meant the blond wanted to talk to him honestly about something.

He leaned forward, licking his lips with the tip of his tongue, a nervous habit of his. The gamer caught his breath, hoping against hope that one of them would man up and fucking kiss already. "I-" he began, then smiled forlornly and shook his head. "Never mind," he said softly, leaning away. "Forget I said anything." Matt made no more progress over the entire course of the movie and walk home, something that had Nimbus and him scratching their heads over the thought process of the Mello all night long and wondering exactly where did their cunning plan go so _wrong_.

* * *

Matt: *traumatized* I can't believe you did that.

Mello: Chocolate?

L: HOLY CRAP, MELLO'S OFFERING TO SHARE HIS BABY!

Nimbus: IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!

Light: RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! *grabs L and runs for nearest bomb shelter*

Nimbus: *grabs Near and gets on nearest plane to Soviet Russia*

... I'm concerned, but unlike those spazzes, I actually want to see what happens next. Plus, I kinda have another chapter to write since my enthusiasm over having a review made me put this up earlier than I had planned... ANYWAY, PLEASE REVIEW/FAVORITE/ALERT THIS STORY SO THAT I CAN AFFORD THE AIRFARE TO SEND THESE BOZOS TO EGYPT! I NEED THEM TO GET THERE SO THAT I CAN ACTUALLY GET TO WRITING... ACTUAL YAOI! *le gasp!* But until then, FIND YOUR OWN BOMB SHELTERS; THE END OF THE WORLD DOES NOT EXCUSE YOU GUYS FROM YOUR "RESPONCIBILITIES"!


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